After suffering a series of disappointing injury setbacks since joining the club, full-back Chris Hussey is more determined than ever to help Cheltenham get their first three points under Michael Duff.

Since taking the helm at the Robins, manager Duff has overseen six matches resulting in three losses and three draws but for 75 minutes on Saturday he must’ve thought that his luck was about to change against Cheltenham’s local rivals, Forest Green Rovers.

A Joseph Mills header denied the Robins all three points but left-back Hussey, who played the whole game, believes that it’s ‘only a matter of time’ before the Robins secure their first win under Duff.

“You can feel the waves sort of turning. The gaffer’s come in and has had a lot to do and it takes time,” said the 29-year-old.

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“It’s not just like a magic wand and that’s going to change everything. We’ll keep doing the right things and I believe, and we believe as a team that we’re going in the right direction and I can honestly say that so it’s only a matter of time.”

Injuries have been a big problem for the defender over the past two seasons whilst out on loan at Swindon last season and now at Cheltenham at the start of this campaign.

Hussey picked up an injury shortly after 1-0 win against Cambridge United which saw him miss out on more than a month of first team action.

But now that he’s featured in a couple of cameo roles off the bench against Morecambe and MK Dons – as well as starting against Mangotsfield United and Forest Green – Hussey is hoping to execute Saturday’s game plan to greater effect against Oldham Athletic tomorrow night.

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“Obviously they lost at the weekend, so they’ll be up for it as well but as I said we’ve got to concentrate on ourselves. If we do our job right then more than likely, we’ll get the three points.

“It’s down to us and on Saturday the game plan, we did it to a tee and as you can see we got a result and, I say a result, we got a draw from the game, but we should’ve won. It was a poor goal to concede from a set piece, but it happens and I’m sure we’ll rectify it.”

Although Cheltenham conceded from a set piece with 15 minutes to go, one of Hussey’s free-kicks was converted on Saturday by Luke Varney – only for the referee to disallow it, but the defender admitted deliveries have always been a forte of his, even though he doesn’t like to practise them.

“I’ve always been good at them and it’s weird because I try not to practise them too much because you tend to overanalyse things.

“So, I think set-pieces are about having a clear mind, know where you’re going to put it, don’t look at where everyone’s running, just pick a spot and that’s what I’ve done throughout my whole career and I’ve set up a few goals from it.”

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During his absence, Hussey has had on-loan Brentford defender Tom Field and Craig Alcock filling in for him and although it poses competition for his places in the squad, the left-back prefers giving his all and getting out of his comfort zone to earn his spot.

Chris Hussey

“In any position, competition is good because if you’re not at it you’ve got someone else that could just come in and take your place, but I like to think that I don’t get complacent because once you’re comfortable then that’s when I think it’s a downwards slope.

“Every day the gaffer wants us at it. Fortunately, I train every day like life depends on it and that’s how it should be because we’re here to get better, as a team and individuals and with the stuff the gaffer’s got us doing in training – as I mentioned before about the first win – it’ll only be a matter of time.”